Kristine Lofgren

They’re a classic in cottage gardens and stunning in bouquets. You can grow them from seed or buy them for a song in giant packs at home supply stores.You can even eat them or play with the flowers like you did when you were a k

Hollyhocks are gorgeous with their tall stalks of frilly flowers.They’re so pretty that th

I have a soft spot for plants that can serve multiple purposes.That particularly applies

The first time I ever had a persimmon was when I was a teenager. I took a bite of the round, orange fruit, expecting something similar to a tangy, grassy tomato flavor.Instead, I was greeted with a honey-sweet app

What is summer without a patch or pot full of geraniums? They’re so bright and cheerful, not to mention pretty easy to care for.But it’s painful to toss them out at the end of the year, isn’t i

Is there anything better than pulling a plump strawberry, warmed by the sun, right off the plant and popping it in your mouth?And is there anything worse than b

Geraniums are, in my opinion, some of the happiest plants in the garden.Those mounds of green leaves are smothered by br

The Pacific Northwest is one of Mother’s Nature’s verdant playgrounds.While the deserts highlight her talent for architectural simplicity, and she

I can’t imagine a summer without geraniums. They’re so cheap at the store but they give you seemingly endless blossoms in vibrant colors that defy description.If you aren’t into h

I can’t imagine my spice cupboard being devoid of the sweet, floral spice of bay leaves.It’s one of those flavors I fi

Marigolds have a bit of a reputation in the gardening world. They’re known for repelling all manner of pests and diseases, whether they’ve technically earned these accolades or not.It’s extremely common to see their

Passionflowers produce some pretty exceptional blossoms. I mean, it’s right there in the name – we don’t call them “passionleaves,” for good reason. Your vines want to bloom. That’s how they reproduce.If your passionflowers aren’t giving you that b

Marigolds are so easy to grow that they’re often recommended as a good plant for children to learn how to garden.That easygoing nature makes them

There are marigolds, and then there are French marigolds.The mounding, full, and frilly display of these fanta

Have you ever headed out into your garden and found damage that looks like someone took a teeny-tiny scythe and lopped the stems of your seedlings off at the ground?Okay, that actually sounds kind of

Marigolds are pretty, but part of the reason they’re so popular is because they offer up their sunny blossoms week after week without much – if any – input from you.You can set them in the ground and go about your life, for th

There is a lot to love about nasturtiums. One of my favorite things is that you can pretty much plant them and forget them.With little input from me, they’ll bl

I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met who don’t realize that passionflower is the same plant that produces passion fruit.Many growers are perfectly happy to produ

Fresh tarragon lovers in blistering hot regions often have to forgo growing their favorite herb.French tarragon simply doesn’t thrive in places wh

If you want a pepper that has just a bit of zing but not so much that it overwhelms your dishes, Anaheims might be the perfect thing.Also known as California chilies or Magdalenas, they’re larg

Have you ever dug into a bowlful of yellow dal from your favorite restaurant and marveled at that subtle, citrusy flavor that maybe you couldn’t quite place?Want to make that herbaceous deliciousness a part

Looking for more heat than jalapenos offer, but you don’t want a pepper so spicy it will melt your tastebuds? Hello, serrano!We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If yo

Bay is one of those plants that attracts ornamental growers and herb gardeners alike.That’s because it serves as a beau

I was on a nature walk near my home and my pant leg was grabbed by a tenacious Himalayan blackberry. I cursed the evil cane as I unhooked it from my pants and plucked an errant thorn free.A few minutes later, I found a native blackberry, so I snapped a few pic

I think a lot more gardeners are learning the importance of gardening without the use of chemicals.While there is certainly a time and a place t

Growing asparagus can be a bit of a challenge if you’ve never done it before.These plants aren’t like squas

I love fruit trees, but some years I stand underneath my apples full of codling moth larvae or my peaches that never fruited because a late frost killed all the buds, and I fantasize about mowing them down with a chainsaw.Not plums, though. They’re my reliable, easy

There are a few plants out there that don’t have broad popularity and I just can’t understand why. Number one on that list is lovage.What’s not to love about lovage?The entire plant is edible,

It’s so fortunate that companion plants like anise (Pimpinella anisum) serve as effective forms of natural pest control!I don’t like using chemicals aroun

Lots of herbs – such as dill and fennel – have that gorgeous anise-like flavor, but anise is the OG.A member of the Apiaceae family, this plan

Rembrandt tulips are literally the stuff of legend.They represent some of the most expensi

With its highly sought after berries and incomparably fragrant blossoms, elderberries are worth growing in the garden.Sure, you can buy elderberry plants. But it’s so easy to propa

There are so many magnolias to choose from. Not only are there hundreds of species, dozens of them are common in cultivation.Then there are the many, many c

Potting soil and the container it sits in are literally the foundation for your houseplant. Without them, your plant can’t access nutrients, doesn’t have a base of support, and won’t be able to thrive.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If y

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) suffer from a bit of a categorization dilemma.There are maincrops, which are sometimes harvested as earlies. Or

Plants are weird and wonderful. Some days they look picture perfect and other times they look decidedly… wrong.Sometimes the problem is a branch that is growing